drama Blog and Journals

Internet fights really are the best, aren't they? After many public outcries for his participation in Alvin & The Chipmunks, comedian David Cross has finally responded in his own blog about cries of "sell out." And then  The Onion's AV Club responded. And then the internet exploded. Check it out before it gets even bigger!

I must admit, upfront, that David Cross is probably my favorite stand-up comedian.  I've seen him a couple of times and own all his albums and he's never failed to make me laugh in ways no other people can. (Though, last year's album from Patton Oswalt is absolutely incredible. Hmmm.)

On top of that, Mr. Show ruled. And you should all know how I feel about Arrested Development. Basically the most genius show to ever air on television. Yeah.

So yeah. Maybe I wondered why the hell David Cross would star in such a terrible movie, but about five minutes after suffering through that horrible trailer, I stopped caring. Because I knew the next time I saw Cross live or the next time he put out a live album, I'd still find him funny. A shitty movie wasn't going to change that.

For your reading enjoyment:

David Cross' blog entry

The response from The Onion's AV Club

Yikes. I think the issue at hand is personal integrity. What I've always liked about David Cross is that he makes references to music and subculture topics that most comedians don't ever address. I think most comedians deal in appealing to the highest common denominator. Comedians like David Cross, Michael Ian Black, Patton Oswalt, and Brian Posehn really don't care to make sure everyone laughs; I've shared work by these guys before with friends who experience jokes that go right over their heads. And I like that.

David Cross routinely rips on bands for being shitty and derivative, so, to a point, I understand why people are so upset at him for being involved with a movie that is, essentially, shitty and derivative. But where I think that The AV Club is wrong is that, in criticizing Cross for taking on work for a paycheck he knows is shitty, to point that out is a moot point. If everyone knows something is bad or terrible, is there any merit to stating the obvious? Cross' response is a reaction to that. I hardly think he's dumb enough to actually think that people are genuinely shocked by his disassociation from his work.

Cross' blog is reactionary, as I've said, to people making a point that was already made and already demonstrated just by the film existing. To go out of your way and call the kettle black is...redundant? That's how I see it.